My Favorite Classic Sitcoms- The Andy Griffith Show

As some of you may know, old movies and classic sitcoms are my first choice any time I want to watch a little TV. Even though some of the content is dated and in today's age even considered offensive at times,  there is something about rewatching the shows from my childhood that I find powerfully therapeutic. The familiar faces are like old friends, and the storylines are easy to just jump into at anytime and I'm assured that I'll leave feeling better for the experience. 

Of all the classic sitcoms I've watched over the years, The Andy Griffith Show is by far my absolute favorite! In 2021 I made it my goal to watch every episode, and I did. Even with that, it still remains my favorite, and I never seem to tire of watching it over and over again.

The Andy Griffith Show first aired on October 3, 1960, one year, one month and eight days before I would make own debut into the world, and it ran for eight seasons, ending on April 1, 1968 when I was six years old, so it's more than likely that my memories are from re-runs than from the actual show itself. Though I do recall spending many nights in front of the tv with my family, at that age I doubt if I could actually recall what we watched. 

Something I discovered a few years ago is that it got it's start as a spin-off from  The Danny Thomas Show, another favorite I discovered in my twenties when Nick At Nite was in it's prime and included some other greats such as, The Patty Duke Show, The Donna Reed Show and Dobie Gillis, just to name a few.Back in the day I would turn it on around 7:00 p.m. and let it play into the early hours of the morning. It was the best! And while you can find all of those sitcoms sill in syndication today, they're scattered across several networks and harder to streamline. It was nice when it was all in one place. MeTV is about the closest thing I think you can find these days, if you have an antenna that will pick up local channels or cable. TV Land has some classic shows, but I find most of their line up unappealing, and it also requires cable. Anyway, I'm venturing off a bit here, but if you want to watch the episode that started it all, you'll find it here. Which reminds me, if you're not looking to watch every episode in order, You Tube is a great place to find classic tv shows, as well as The Internet Archives, but now back to Andy Griffith!

Like so many people, I'm sure, one of the things I like best about this series is the relationship between Andy and Opie. Was there ever a cuter red headed boy than Ronny Howard?, and of course he went on to make quite a name for himself! I love him, even today! Even though it was scripted, there was just something about Andy's manner and spirit in guiding and raising his son that has always moved me. And he carried that over into his job as Sheriff as well, extolling his small-town wisdom to friends and family alike. Andy Taylor was a healing balm in the quickly changing world of the 1960's, with the birth control pill sparking a sexual revolution, the battle over civil rights was escalating, and the war in Vietnam was tearing the country's political system into pieces. In some ways, it seems that in 2021, history is repeating itself, and in the midst of our current turmoil, a trip to Mayberry is still refreshing for the soul.

And of course, the show just wouldn't be the same without Barney, who is probably my favorite character.

I fell in love with the humor of Don Knotts all those years ago and he has remained one of my all time favorites any time I need a good laugh. I think I own every movie he ever made, my favorite's being The Ghost and Mr. Chicken *(featuring many of the cast members from the show), and The Reluctant Astronaut . We watch The Ghost and Mr. Chicken and The Private Eyes every year around Halloween, they are both timeless classics! But my favorite role Don every portrayed was as Deputy Barney Fife and it made him in star, so big in fact, that he left the series in 1965 to pursue his movie career, but still made guest appearances until it ended three years later.

While doing some research for this post I discovered that I am obviously not alone in my love for all things Mayberry, and if you love it, too, then you might enjoy perusing a few of these links.

- 7 Things I Learned From Andy Griffith (I LOVE this one!)

- The Moral Lessons of Mayberry - article about a church that has turned watching The Andy Griffith Show into a bible study. There's also The Mayberry Bible Study Podcast, if you want to join in!

- 10 Things We Learned About Fathering From Andy Griffith

- Act Like Somebody: Special Moments of Parenting From the Andy Griffith Show

- I'm Proud To Call You My Friend: A Collection of Special Moments of Friendship From The Andy Griffith Show

- The Andy Griffith Book: The Complete Guide to One of Television's Best Loved Shows

- The Way Back to Mayberry: Lessons From A Simpler Time

- Aunt Bea's Mayberry Cookbook or try out some recipes from this online cookbook.

- Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship And A Classic American TV Show

- The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family by Ron Howard and Clint Howard

A few years ago while were on a vacation my husband and I unexpectedly happened upon Mount Airy, North Carolina, the small town where Andy Griffith lived until he graduated from high school. Here you will find a replica of the sheriff's office and court house, Wally's Service Station, and the very home where Andy grew up is a bed and breakfast! There are many other sights, including The Andy Griffith Museum which boasts a bronze statue of Andy and Opie going fishing, and The Andy Griffith Playhouse. You can even tour the city in a replica squad car just like the ones Andy and Barney drove in the series. We had such a good time when we were there and it's on my list to visit again. We were actually on our way to another destination so we didn't get to see everything, but we made sure to hit the highlights, including the sheriff's office. You can learn more about Mount Airy (Mayberry), here. Or you can borrow this book from the Internet Archives;

Memories of Mayberry: A Nostalgic Look At Andy Griffith's Hometown, Mount Airy, North Carolina

If you're as big a fan as I am, you might also enjoy The Mayberry Trivia Challenge. I only got 11 out of 25 corret, so maybe I need to keep watching? If you take it, leave a message in the comments and tell me how you scored!

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Small Things - Last Saturday in June 2025

 "Life is not, for most of us, a pageant of splendor, but is made up of many small things, rather like an old fashioned piecework quilt. No two people have the same, but we all have our own, whether it be listening to Beethoven's fifth with a beloved friend, or seeing a neighbor at the back door with a basket of white dahlias. Or after a long, hard day, having the family say, "That was a good supper."

- GLADYS TABER

In no particular order, here are six small things that inspired me this week;

1. Chey Lowe

I've been following Chey and her story of adopting their daughter from India for about a year now. If you have a heart for adoption, you need to follow Chey's account.

2. 6 Bible Verses for Homemakers

Tabitha is the creative mind behind This Mama's Faith. I've enjoyed perusing her site, and was particularly blessed by this post. I'm going to add to my Homekeeper's Commonplace Book.

3. Silly Goose Cookies

Inspired by Laura Prietto, has me on the hunt for a goose cookie cutter and dreaming of a little Silly Goose Get Together on National Goose Day, September 29.

4. The Happy Homemaker - Tools For A Joyful Life

by Marcelle Rohrs

A new to me book that I purchased for free using my Kindle points. I've added to my never-ending tbr list. Here's a snippet from the listing.

Are you constantly overwhelmed by your home and is joy the furthest thing from your mind? Do you suffer from not having guests over because of the state of your house? This book will show you proven processes to get you to change this situation with minimum effort!

"Taking care of a home can be overwhelming, especially on top of all of your other responsibilities. I understand. I am a wife and mother who used to struggle with homemaking until I found hacks that got me to take action even when I didn’t feel like it!

In this book, you will:

Learn the one hack to reach productivity regardless of how you feel!

Learn a process to uncover your reasons for struggling with homemaking.

Set up routines that will put your house on auto-pilot!

Establish a menu-planning routine so that dinner can be easy every night!

Learn how to keep your house clean even if you have a full-time job.

Be equipped to be the organized, ready-for-action woman you want to be!

Find joy in homemaking!"

Even though I feel like I have a pretty good handle on a lot of the aspects of homemaking, I'm always looking for fresh ideas!

5. Shrimp and Steak Tacos

Definitely putting this on my summer rotation!

6. Native Plants Finder

My husband and I are working hard this summer on transforming our back yard into a nature sanctuary. With that our goal is for the plants to be 75-80% native. We recently went through and identified the plants we want to keep, removing most of the invasive varieties, and then deciding what we'd like to add.  This website has helped us tremendously in learning about the plants that are native to our region. You simply type in your zip code and a list is generated for you. Easy peasy!

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Fridays With Friends .01 - A Daily Something

It's been quite a while since I've taken the time to go through and check the links in my side bars to be sure that they are still working and up to date, but there are quite a few of them, I've decided to just check one or two every day or so until I have them all updated. With that, I thought it might make it more fun write a series of posts, FRIDAYS WITH FRIENDS in which I'll introduce you to a Kindred Spirit, that is listed in the side bar on the right side of my blog. These are blogs I've followed and online friends that I've made, a few for more than a decade now, that have inspired and encouraged me. Once I've finished updating the Kindred Spirits links, I'll move on to others and come up with a new catchy name for that series. Sound like fun?, then let's begin!

First up . . .

Rebecca Gallop of A Daily Something.

"A Daily Something is a lifestyle destination where Rebecca shares about the simple daily somethings that make life beautiful. Topics include: recipes, life with littles, home décor & DIY projects, entertaining, gatherings, and personal style. Launched in 2011 as a personal creative outlet while studying political science in college A Daily Something has grown to be an online community for those interested in beautifying and simplifying all areas of life." 

Three posts that caught my eye . . .

- A Daily Rhythm Challenge

Rebecca completed the 75 Hard Challenge, something I've considered doing before, but to date have not. To be honest, it's a bit too much for me, and while there is a 75 Soft that appears to be more do-able, I like the sound of this challenge even better.  Also check out her Live Slow Challenge.

- Thoughts On Cultivating An Open Door Policy

Which is something I often struggle with, and I was encouraged by this post. Since we moved to our homestead we now live 30 minutes from everywhere, so it's not as much of an occurrence, but, when it is I want to learn to relax and enjoy the company!

- What To Do With Chive Blossoms

I have one healthy chive plant in my garden, but it has never bloomed. I don't even see evidence of potential blooms, but . . . if it ever does, now I'll know what to do with them.

Three recipes I want to try . . .

- Simple No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

- Hedgehog's Cake - I just love the name!

- Grapes Wrapped in Goat Cheese

And just three more I can't pass by . . .

- Another challenge, this time in the kitchen, The Capsule Kitchen Challenge

- Pantry Essentials and How To Organize Your Pantry

- And just about everything labled, The Art of Gathering!

Even though it's been awhile since Rebecca has posted new content, the archives are full of so much inspiring content I'll keep the link active. Even though I woud prefer to link active sites, sometimes the wealth of information that remains makes it worth re-visting.

And with that, I hope you've enjoyed this first edition of FRIDAY'S WITH FRIENDS! I'll be back next week to introduce you to someone new!

Retro Rewind - .01

Being born in the 60’s and growing up in the 70’s, I have so many wonderful memories of those years! Even though politically those were turbulent years (not unlike today), it’s my opinion at least, that those were some of the best years to be a kid! I fondly recall many of my favorite foods and snacks, toys, restaurants and trends from that era, and I love reminiscing about them. 

I wrote this post, Retro Rewind, with the intention of it becoming a regular topic from time to time, about a year ago now. But as is often the case, it got lost in the archives. So today I’m reposting it with plans to revisit it and take a look back on the golden era of childhood. If you didn't grow up in the 60's and 70's, perhaps your parents or grandparent's did and you'll learn a little about what life was like for them. And if you did grow up in that era, I hope these posts will take you on a little trap down memory lane. So, let's jump right in, shall we?

FAVORITE FOODS

Pillsbury's Funny Face Drink Mix

As a child I absolutely loved Funny Face Drink Mix. My personal favorite was Goofy Grape, but I also liked Freckle Face Strawberry and Choo Choo Cherry. I recall liking Kool Aid, as well, but I was drawn to the cute characters of the Funny Face drinks. Do you remember Funny Face Drink Mix, and if so, what was your favorite flavor? 

Here's a link to a commercial from the 1960's.

FAVORITE STORES

Kresge's Dime Store

I have so many fond memories of Friday evenings with my family, which often found us at Richland Plaza Mall (now owned by the local school district). We would often eat dinner at Pancho's Mexican Buffet, which had the best refriend beans I have ever tasted, and the sopapilla's, oh my! And then after dinner we would usually walk over to one of my favorite stores, Kresge's Dime Store. In my memories of that time I got .50 a week for allowance, which in a 5-10 store went pretty far. It wasn't until I was an adult that I discovered that Kresge's went on to become K-Mart, which oddly, I never cared for as much. The store we shopped was in a mall, so there wouldn't have been a stop light on the corner, but I do recall the storefront looking very much like the one in this image. 

FAVORITE CHILDREN'S TELEVISION SHOWS

School House Rock

Aw, School House Rock! Who would have believed that watching a simple cartoon short in the early years of my childhood would help me ace my senior government final, but it's true. A few of my favorites were Unpack Your Adjectives, Conjunction Junction and Lolly, Lolly, Lolly Get Your Adverbs Here (can you tell I loved English Grammar?). And then there was the one that helped me ace my exam, The Preamble of The Constitution. 

There's a playlist on You Tube that claims to have all the videos, I didn't peruse it too closely so I'm not sure if they are all included, or not, but there are a number of them.  And if you love School House Rock you can purchase them on DVD from Amazon. (ASSOCIATE LINK).

And with that, I think I'll wrap this first edition up! I hope you've enjoyed reminiscing with me! If you had a favorite store from your childhood or a favorite School House Rock song, I'd love to hear! Share in the comments! 

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